Tentering machine



Nov. 14, 1950 J. DUNGLER TENTERING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 27, 1949 J. DUNGLER TENTERING MACHINE NOV. 14, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 27, 1949 Patented Nov. 14, 1950 TENTERING MACHINE J ulien Dungler, Basel, Switzerland Application January 27, 1949, Serial No. 73,166

9 Claims.

This invention relates generally to devices for 1 guiding cloth, web and other lengthy, preferably cellulosic sheet material in tentering or similar machines through treatment receptacles for drying, bleaching or similar purposes.

It has heretofore been known to employ hooks, grips or spikes which are mounted on chaindriven gripping devices or clips for the engagement of the selvedges of fabric and the like. These known devices are arranged in side by side relation to each other, each known device being so constructed that at least three contact or supporting surfaces (areas) with the driving chain as well as with the guide rails of the tentering machines are necessitated. Such known structures have considerable disadvantages in that the guidance of the clips or gripping devices cannot always be kept entirely accurate since they are subjected to the influence of heat and mechanical strains when passing through heated areas of the treatment receptacle. Besides this, the friction between the movable parts of the clips, chains and rails is markedly increased due to such three-surface contact.

The present invention overcomes these and other drawbacks and contemplates a simplified and efficient, novel gripping structure or clip which is operated with a minimum of friction, ensures correct guidance at all times and permits flexibility and automatic adjustability with reto provide meansfacilitating a reduction of the frictional engagement or contact points of the movable supporting parts of the clips to a minimum and maintaining the same always in desired position with respect to each other and the guide rails along which they are moved.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide means ensuring uniformity of operation, simplicity and economy of construction and reduction of wear of the clips during guidance and displacement thereof not only if the same are in working or operative position but also if they are in inoperative or idle position.

Yet a further object of the present invention resides in the provision of means for effectively reducing the wear of the runways along which the clips are moved and also the consumption of electric power which is necessary to set the chains and parts associated therewith into motion. Still another object of the invention is to provide vertical and horizontal guide means arranged to take up and carry a substantial portion of the weight of the gripping device,

A further feature of the'present invention is the provision of gripping means capable of' ab sorbing traction and weight and also of drive means for displacing the gripping means during operation thereof.

The above and other features and objects of the invention will become more fully apparent from the following description of certain preferred embodiments, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation, partly in section, of chain-driven gripping means according to the invention. I

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the gripping means of Fig. 1; V V

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the gripping means of Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1, show: ing a modified form of gripping device and guide rail.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3, there is shown a gripping device or automatic clip comprising a body I having the eyes or extremities I, I" in which the faller2 is journaled by means of pivot 6. Body I is integralwith the base plate 4 which cooperates with the blade 3 of the nipper or faller plate 2 to grip the selvedge of a fabric or other sheet material 5. v

The faller 2 is provided with fins or extensions 2a which are adapted to enter slots 4a provided in the base 4, thereby folding the selvedge within slots 4a prior to the gripping action of the blade. At 1 there is shown a weight or handle for moving the nipper plate 2 about pivot 6, thereby releasing the fabric 5.

An endless chain 8 having links which comprise outer flanges 8 and 8", travels in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 3. Suitable fastening means, such as rivets 9, rigidly secure each gripping or clip device of the tentering machine to the upper flange 8' of a respective link of the chain 8. The corresponding lower flange 8" carries two spaced-apart lugs 8a, 8b which support a gudgeon H! on which there is rotatably journaled, by means of ball bearings (not shown), a vertical'roller ll having a V-shaped profile. A V-shaped groove 12, provided in guide rail l3 which extends parallel to the direction of movement of the chain 3, serves as a guide for the roller ll. Rail i3 is further provided with a groove I4, disposed substantially at right'angles to groove l2 and serving as a guide for a .horizontal roller I5 also V-shaped in profile, which is journaled on a gudgeon I6 by means of ball bearings I I, it being understood that the mounting of roller Ii on the gudgeon I9 is" similar to;

that of roller IS on gudgeon I6. The gudgeon I6 depends from an arm I8 extending rearwardly from the yoke or body I.

According to the invention, both rollers II, together with their grooves I2, I4 are disposed at the right (as viewed in Fig 1) of a vertical plane 20 which extends in the direction of travel of the chain 8 (arrow A) andpasses through the center of gravity I9 of the combined clip device and associated drive means, said drive means being represented by the chain link which comprises the upper and lower flanges 8, 8". It will also be noted that the two rollers are displaced or spaced from the plane 28 in a direction (to the right in Fig. 1) which is opposite to that of the pull exerted by the sheet material 5, the latter direction being indicated by the arrow B in Fig. 1.

The effect of this arrangement is as follows:

When the clip device is idle (sheet 5 removed), gravity exerts a torque upon the device tending to rotate the same in such a sense (counterclockwise in Fig. 1) that roller II bears upon the right-hand flank of groove I2 and roller 15 bears upon the upper flank of groove I4. The force of gravity, however, also has a component which tends to press the rollers I I and I5 upon the lefthand flank of groove l2 and the lower flank of groove I4, respectively. It is now possible to arrange the position of the center of gravity I 3 relative to the rollers I I, I5 in such a wa that the two rollers are pressed substantially symmetrically into their respective grooves. thus preventing unilateral wear and insuring that both guide means II, I2 and I4, I5 contribut substantially to the support of the weight of the clip device.

It will also be understood that the arrangement described automatically restores the device to its normal position whenever it may have been accidentally tilted backwards, thereby preventing any drag resulting from prolonged contact between portions of the device (other than its rollers) and the stationary rail.

When sheet 5 is engaged by the gripping or clip device, its pull (arrow B) will not generally be taken up by the traction-absorbing means I4, I5 alone, but play and deformability of the body I will also cause a horizontal force to be exerted upon weight carrying means inthe form of roller II. so that the latter bears sideways upon the left-hand flank of groove 1 2. The gravitational torque above referred to not only counteracts this force but may be arranged to neutralize it completely, so that the rol er II will be perfectly centered with respect to the groove l2 when the device is in operation. It is. however, also possible to adjust the position of the center of gravity I9 in such manner that the pre sure of roller II will be somewhat greater upon the left-hand flank when the device is in operation and will be somewhat greater u on the righthand flank when the device is idle, thereby insuring substantially uniform wear of the roller I I and the groove I 2.

In the modification of Fig. 4, the body is shown at 22 with pivot pin 23 by which the faller or nipper plate 24, carrying the blade 25, is swingably secured to the body 22, the latter having a base 26 secured to a lug 21 by fastening means such as screws 28.

Rollers or wheels 24a, rotatably held by arms 24b rearwardly extending from the faller 24, are the functional equivalent of the fins 2a shown in Figs. 1-3, as more fully described in my copending U. S. patent application Serial No.

4 667,053, filed May 3, 1946 now matured into U. S. Letters Patent 2,489,275.

The gripping device of Fig. 4 is driven by an endless steel band 29 as disclosed in my copending U. S. patent application Serial No. 39,369, filed July 17, 1948. This band is clamped between two plate members 30a, 301) by means of screws 30 which connect the body 22 with a rear shield plate 3|. An arm 33, projecting from this rear plate, carries a gudgeon 34 on which there is journaled a horizontal roller 35 in similar manner as the roller IE on gudgeon I6. This roller, which is of trapezoidal profile, bears upon a shoulder formed by a Vertical surface 36 and a beveled edge 36a of a rail 31. The rail also carries a gudgeon 38 on which there is journaled, in similar manner as the rollers previously mentioned, a vertical roller 39 having a flange 39a. The steel band 29 engages the roller 39 adjacent th flange thereof.

Also in this embodiment the guide means 35, 36, 36a and 29, 39, 39a are located at one side of a plane (II which extends in the direction of travel of the flexible band 29 and which passes through the center of gravity 4B of the combined gripping device and associated drive means, the drive means in this case being represented by the portion of the band 29 adjacent the gripping device.

Again it will be seen that the two guide means are displaced from the plane 48 in a direction opposite to that in which the fabric or other sheet material (not shown in Fig. 4) exerts a pull when engaged by the device.

In this arrangement the location of the center of gravity 4!) is preferably such that the roller 35 bears evenly upon its two guiding surfaces 36 and 35a, and that the lateral thrust of the band 29 upon the flange 39a of roller 39 is a minimum. When the device is in operative position, this thrust may disappear entirely for reasons hereinabove explained.

It will also be appreciated that the roller 39 (Fig. 4) may be one of a plurality of vertical rollers lying in the same vertical plane, and that two or more of these rollers may simultaneously engage the portion of the band 29 which is clamped to the gripping device.

In both of the above-described embodiments there is provided the combination, with a gripping device I, 2 or 22, 24 adapted to engage a sheet of material 5 and drive means 8 or 29 for displacing and gripping device in a predetermined direction A, of a stationary support I3 or 31 and guide means II, I2, I I, I5 or 35, 36, 36a, 29, 39, 39a. movably holding said device on said support, said guide means comprising a plurality of rollers I I, I5 or 39, 35 positioned in two planes only (vertical and horizontal plane) and arranged for rotation in said planes, all of said rollers being located at one side of a vertical plane 20 or II which extends in said direction A and passes through the center of gravity I9 or 40 of the combined gripping device and drive means therefor.

While there have been shown and described preferred embodiments of the invention, it is obvious that further changes may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a tentering device, the combination of a gripping device adapted to engage a length of sheet material, with drive means for displacing said gripping device in a predetermined direction, a stationary support, and guide means movably holding said device on said support, said guide means comprising a plurality of rollers positioned in two planes, respectively, and arranged for rotation in said planes, all of said rollers being located at one side of a vertical plane which extends in said direction and passes through the center of gravity of the combined gripping device and drive means, said rollers including a first roller located in the plane of said sheet material when the latter is engaged by said gripping device, said first roller being adapted to absorb the traction from said sheet material, and a second roller extending at a right angle to said first roller.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein both said first roller and said second roller are displaced from said vertical plane in a direction which is opposite to that in which said sheet material exerts a traction.

3. In a tentering device, the combination, of a gripping device adapted to engage a length of sheet material, with drive means for displacing said gripping device in a predetermined direction, a stationary rail, and guide means movably supporting said device on said rail, said guide means including a vertical roller, and a horizontal roller positioned in the plane of said sheet, said horizontal roller being adapted to absorb the traction from said sheet when the latter is engaged by said gripping device, both of said rollers being displaced from a vertical plane which passes through the center of gravity of the combined gripping device and drive means, in a direction which is opposite to that in which said sheet material exerts a traction.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said rollers are rotatably journaled on said device, said rail being provided with a pair of grooves respectively engaging said horizontal roller and said vertical roller.

5. The combination according to claim 4,

wherein said rollers and said grooves are provided with a substantially V-shaped profile.

6. The combination according to claim 3, wherein at least one of said rollers is rotatably journaled on said rail.

7. The combination according to claim 3, wherein said drive means comprises a portion of an endless band, said portion being rigidly se-' cured to said gripping device and engaging said vertical roller.

8. A tentering machine comprising a stationary guide member, a plurality of gripping devices each adapted to engage the selvedge of a length of sheet material, each gripping device being provided with traction-absorbing means and with weight carrying means both supporting said device on said guide member, and a plurality of drive means for displacing said gripping devices, respectively, said traction-absorbing means and said weight-carrying means of each gripping device being both disposed at the same side of a vertical plane which passes through the center of gravity of the combination of each gripping device with its respective drive means, and which extends in the direction of displacement of the gripping device.

9. A tentering machine according to claim 8, wherein said traction-absorbing means and said weight-carrying means are displaced from said vertical plane in a direction which is opposite to that in which said sheet material exerts a traction.

JULIEN DUNGLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 127,731 Bailey June 11, 1872 2,285,820 MacKnight June 9, 1942 

